


change room talks

by ericaismeg, foxerica (ericaismeg)



Series: rare ships [22]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Claudia Stilinski Memories, Dead Claudia Stilinski, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Heart-to-Heart, Jock Jackson Whittemore, M/M, Sad Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-12
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-05-01 05:58:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5194754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericaismeg/pseuds/ericaismeg, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericaismeg/pseuds/foxerica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Checking me out again, Stilinski?” Jackson mutters, trying to catch Stiles looking at him. Only Stiles is bent down, untying his shoes. Why does Jackson feel a little disappointed? Maybe it’s because he likes when Stiles checks him out. It’s an ego boost. At least that’s what he tries to tell Danny and Mason.</p>
            </blockquote>





	change room talks

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here!](http://foxerica.tumblr.com/post/108038049377/my-ribs-are-bruised-and-out-of-place-i-have)
> 
> Please note! Mentions of Claudia's death.

**♈ ♌ ♈ ♌ ♈**

 

“Checking me out again, Stilinski?” Jackson mutters, trying to catch Stiles looking at him. Only Stiles is bent down, untying his shoes. Why does Jackson feel a little disappointed? Maybe it’s because he likes when Stiles checks him out. It’s an ego boost. At least that’s what he tries to tell Danny and Mason.

Truth be told, he secretly hopes that Stiles has a little thing for him. Because, fuck, Jackson has a  _big_  thing for Stiles, his eyes, his  _mouth_ —god, the things he bets that mouth could do—and his fingers.

Jackson would hate himself for even considering Stiles attractive, but lately, everyone else seems to be noticing how attractive he is. It’s starting to drive him crazy. No one else was supposed to find him hot or sexy or even good-looking. No one. That way Stiles could stay single and free as Jackson’s eye candy.

Maybe it was a little unfair, but Jackson wasn’t ready to risk his heart again after Lydia broke it. Not yet. And Stilinski? He’s the kind of guy who could break your heart.

“Hm?” Stiles says, his tone distracted. He lifts his head to meet Jackson’s eyes. “Oh, no, I wasn’t.”

It’s such an honest answer, that it barely occurs to Jackson that Stiles had basically admitted that he  _has_  checked him out before.

Jackson studies him for a few moments before Stiles, sad face and all, looks away. His lips part and then he closes them. He wants to ask what’s wrong, because there’s a distant look on his face. But he can’t. Jackson settles for, “Did Scott break up with you or something?”

It’s the best he can do. Stiles’ jerks his head up to look at Jackson again. He shakes his head. “No, Scott’s been dating Allison for a few months. Didn’t…didn’t you know that?”

“Then why the puppy dog look?” Jackson demands, his tone harsher than usual. He wants to take it back, wants to offer him comfort, but honestly, this crush is getting too out of hand. He’s only talked about it with Danny and Mason, because Danny called him out on it the first time Jackson had given Stiles a lingering look. He tries to act like he has the smallest, itty bitty thing for Stiles, but it’s starting to become a big, fat, ugly crush.

Stiles shifts on the bench and shrugs. “Look dude, I don’t want to talk about it, okay? Just…don’t be a dick today.”

Jackson hesitates before he walks over to Stiles and sits down beside him. In the softest tone he’s ever used with Stiles before, he says, “What’s going on, Stiles?”

He doesn’t look at Jackson. At least, not right away. When he does, his eyes are wide and confused. “Since when do you care?”

Jackson isn’t sure how to answer it. He’s about to be gruff and say “I don’t” but there’s a look of hope in Stiles’ face. He shrugs instead, hoping that’s a good enough response for Stiles.

“Sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Jackson prods after a few moments. When Stiles doesn’t respond, Jackson inhales deeply and reaches out to put his hand on Stiles’ knee. Hopefully in a comforting way. “Stiles, I’m…I’m here if you need me.”

Stiles’ eyes are watering but he only nods. Jackson is going to stand up but then Stiles leans against him. He freezes, realizing that Stiles is crying now. He’s wiping his eyes but his body is trembling.

“Stiles?” Jackson whispers, his hand instinctively grabbing Stiles’. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay. It’ll be okay.”

Stiles shakes his head. “Mom’s…mom’s birthday.”

Jackson moves so that he can wrap his arm around Stiles and pull him in closer. It might be the first time they’ve ever done  _this_ , but Jackson isn’t about to let go anytime soon. Stiles’ body shakes against Jackson and he doesn’t know how to soothe him, so he settles for awkwardly holding him.

At one point, he presses his lips lightly against Stiles’ head in hopes to offer some comfort. During another moment, he rubs Stiles’ back. Finally, he murmurs, “I won’t leave you.”

Stiles lifts his head at that, crying silently now. He looks confused as hell, but then he leans forward and presses his lips to Jackson’s. He allows the small, chaste kiss to happen. When Stiles pulls away, he settles his head onto Jackson’s shoulder.

Jackson couldn’t tell a soul how long they sit there like that, but Stiles’ fingers are in his the whole time. He wonders if Stiles meant the kiss to mean something, or if maybe it was him seeking comfort. It doesn’t matter though, because right now, Jackson wants to make Stiles laugh again.

“She taught me how to tie my shoes,” Jackson murmurs eventually. Miss Stilinski had been the best kindergarten teacher. Jackson had been devastated when he’d found out she’d died. He hadn’t understood much about genetics and how what had killed her had been passed down through her family. He had thought that Stiles was to blame. By the time he’d understood that it wasn’t Stiles’ fault at all, it’d been too late to repair their friendship.

At least, Jackson had thought that until the past few weeks. Something had been changing between them.

Stiles sighs. “She didn’t teach me enough…and then she was gone.”

Jackson squeezes his hand. “Stiles, she taught you everything she needed to. Look at you. You’re an amazing person. And I’m sure your dad has taught you stuff that he learned from your mom. So she’s still kind of teaching you. It’s not—”

“You think I’m amazing?” Stiles interrupts, surprised. 

“Well,” Jackson starts. He’s not sure how to respond, actually. A small part of him wants to pull away and call Stiles’ a pussy. It really does.

He can’t do this. What if he hurts Stiles? What if he makes things worse for Stiles? Stays and then has to leave for some reason? But Stiles’ eyes, bright and wet, stare at him, and he wants to wrap a blanket around Stiles. Promise him it’d be okay, he’s not going anywhere.

“Sorry, it’s just, you’ve never…you know, complimented me before,” Stiles mumbles, looking away.

This is it. This is his chance.

But Stiles could hate him still, for all the crap Jackson’s put him through.

He starts to pull away, starts to let go of Stiles’, and he’s almost standing up straight before he says, “Of course I think you’re amazing.”

Jackson rushes back towards his locker. He grabs what he can from it, but when he turns to glance back at Stiles, he jumps in surprise. Stiles is right there, standing in front of him now.

For a moment, he wonders if Stiles is going to kiss him.

“Thanks.”

Then Stiles is rushing out of the locker room and Jackson’s disappointed. He knocks his head off the locker behind him and rubs his face.  _Fuck_.

 

**♈ ♌ ♈ ♌ ♈**

 

“Is anyone in here?” Stiles calls out a few weeks later.

Jackson stills. They haven’t been alone in the locker room since the last time. In fact, Stiles had mostly avoided Jackson since then. It’d been driving him crazy. Danny and Mason kept telling him to just go for it, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t risk it.

“Yeah,” he answers, his voice echoing around them.

Stiles pokes his head around the corner of the lockers before he smiles. “Hey. I was hoping to find you here.”

“You were?” Jackson stammers.

“I was. Lydia wanted to know if you were coming with us tomorrow night.” Stiles looks down the ground, swinging his foot around a little. When he lifts his head again, he says, “ _I_  wanted to know if you were coming with us tomorrow night.”

Wow, okay,  _wow_. Jackson shrugs, because he can’t let on how much that means to him. He can’t. “Did you want me to come?”

Stiles nods, looking unsure of himself.

"I’ll be there, then.” Okay, good. Jackson can do this. He can pretend the way Stiles is biting on his bottom lip isn’t driving him insane. He can. He really can.

“Um, thanks for…you know,  _before._  It helped.” Stiles lets out an awkward laugh before he blurts, “God, do you never wear a shirt?”

Jackson’s eyebrows come together. “I’m changing. You came into the changing room?”

"Ugh, it’s unfair you know,” Stiles grumbles. How you can look soo… _so._ ”

“I look so-so?” Jackson asks.

“No, and that’s why I hate you a little.”

His heart’s pounding. His hopes are rising. Danny and Mason’s annoying voices pop into his mind. He swallows before he says, “You only hate me a little?”

Stiles shrugs. “You’re not so bad, Whittemore. Not once I figured you out.”

“I could say the same about you.”

Stiles’ eyes widen, his lips part, and then Jackson’s walking towards him. He puts a hand on Stiles’ shoulder, pushing his back against the lockers. Jackson waits for a sign that he’s not crazy, that Stiles wants him too.

“Wow,” Stiles breathes.

“I haven’t even kissed you yet,” Jackson murmurs, amused.

“I have a feeling that’s going to be a bigger  _wow_ ,” Stiles answers, lips curved. “What’s it going to be, tough guy?”

"You really should learn when to stop talking,” Jackson tells him. There’s no heat in the words though. Maybe he’d hurt Stiles. Maybe Stiles would hurt him. But Jackson can’t not know what it’s like to be with him. It’s been consuming him these past few weeks, this need to be able to hold Stiles’ hand and kiss him whenever he wanted.

“And you should know you’re hot when you’re jealous. I just have to mention Scott’s nam-”

Jackson shuts him up with a kiss. 

 

**♈ ♌ ♈ ♌ ♈**

 

**Author's Note:**

> Cry about Stackson with me [hereeee!](http://www.foxerica.tumblr.com)


End file.
